Machine for making articles from pulpous material



J. S. LITTLE Nov. 10, 1931.

MACHINE FOR MAKING ARTICLES FROM PULPOUS MATERIAL Filed Dec. 4. 1928 Patented Nov.. l0, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN SHIRLEY LITTLE, 0F LA GRANGE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY! INCORPORATED, 0F NEW YORK, N. Y., A'CORPORATION 0F NEW YORK MACHINE FOR MAKING ARTICLES FROM PULIOUS MATERIAL lapplication led December 4, 1928. Serial No. 323,597.

' This invention relates to machines for making articles from pulpous material and more particularl to machines employlng cylinder molds fitr applying pulpous material to cores in ribbon form.

Heretofore it has been the practice 1n some instances, in coverin cores 'with pulp insulation, to form the insu ation into ribbons by straining a pulpous mixture radially through a wire-screen-covered cylinder mold, around. which were afxed s aced deckles consisting of circumferential ands of nonforaminous material. These deckles, belng non-foraminous, acted as a means for delining the edges of the pulp ribbons whlch form on the foraminous' surface ofthe cylinder mold as it is rotated and subjected to the pulp mixture. Since the deckles were permanently afxed to the surface of the cyllnder mold, subsequent deterioration and replacement of the deckles necessitated removal of the cylinder mold from the machine.

An object of the present invention is to provide in a machine for makin articles from pulpous material a simple an efficient means for deiinin the extent vor pattern of the article and whlch may be readily removed for repairs or replacement.

One embodiment of 'the invention contemplates the provision, in a pul insulatin machine, of endless belts of rubber, or simi arly pliable and non-foraminous materials, as travelling deckles, which are carried on and maintained in fixed spaced relationto the edges of the cylinder mold and to each other by grooved idler rollers, and which engage the surface of the cylinder mold only during the pulp depositing portion of its rotation.

It is believed that a better understanding of the invention will be derived from the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, wherein Fig. 1 is a to plan view of an apparatus embodying the eatures of the invention, and

Fig. 2 1s a sectional view Vtaken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings in which similar arts 1n the several views are designated y 1dent1cal reference numerals', a portion of 'anap'paratus' for coatin cores, ofthe type disclosed in my Patent o. 1,615,394, issued January 25, 1927, consistingof a tank, generally denoted by the numeral 10, comprises a base member 11, end members 12-12 and sides 13-13. A cylinder mold 14 is mounted on sides 13 of the tank by means of a shaft 16 journalled in a housing 17 and secured therein by boltsl18. The cylinder mold consists of a plurality ofspiders 19 comprising a hub portion 21, radial spokes 22 and a peripheral supporting rim 23. Mounted and tautly stretched therearound is a fabricated wire screen supported by laterally extending rods 24 comprising an inner layer of coarser wire 26 and an exterior la er of liner wire 27, the ensemble being ma e secure by suitable stitching or other means (not shown).

Extending laterally across the tank and parallel with the shaft 16 of the cylinder mold, are a plurality of spaced idler rollers 28 mounted in journals 29 and secured to the sides of the tank by bolts 31.' Likewise extending laterally across the tankand parallel with the shaft 16 of the cylinder mold is` an idler roller 32 located beneath t-he sha-ft 16 and suitably mounted in the sides of the tank b a suitable conventional journal means giiot shown). 0n' the right-hand side ofthe cylinder mold a similar idler roller 33 is shown mounted vin a housing 34 and secured therein by bolts 36. The housing 34 is adjustably mounted to permit traverse of a track 37 upon action of a regulating screw 38 which, being revolvably mounted in the side 12 of the tank and through the threaded interior of j ournal' 34 permits adjustment of roller 33 to regulate the tension' of a plurality of endless exible travelling deckles 39. These deckles are carried on idler rollers 28, 32 and 33 in spaced groovesV 41 in such manner that the deckles closely engage the exterior of the cylinder mold in its revolution between the centered contacting rollers 28 28.

Upon operation of the device described above, it will be apparent that the rotation of the cylinder mold 14 by any suitable source of power (not shown) applied, for instance,

','uponaportion of'its surface projecting above Si)l the sides of the tank, that the travelling deckles will continuously engage that portion of its surface below the sides of the tank. Vhen in operation Iand the tank being suitably filled with the desired quantity of pulp mixture, the tendency of the pulp mixture to flow through the foraminous areas 0f the screen surface of the cylinder mold will cause a deposit of pulp to be made thereon. As that portion of the cylinder mold is rotated beyond the level of the pulp mixture and Yabove the sides of the tank the deposit of pulp upon the surface of the screen will be found to possess well defined edges. These ribbons of pulp may be removed by the remainder of the apparatus described in the above mentioned patent, or by any other suitable means. f

The idler rollers 28, 32 and 33 being provided with the correspondingI grooves 41 within which the travelling deckles 39 accurately t, thereby afford a positive means for insuring that the deckles will be true with the edges of the cylinder mold and will cooperate,

With each other to produce pulp ribbons having accurate and well-defined edges. Since pous material, a cylinder mold, a plurality of idler rollers positioned at spaced points around the periphery thereof and each having a plurality of spaced deckle guiding grooves, corresponding grooves being in serial alignment, and a continuous pliable deckle band travelling in each series of aligned grooves and engaging the cylinder mold during a portion of the rotation thereof, adjacent deckles cooperating to define the limits of pulp deposition upon the cylinder mold.

2. In a machine for making articles of JOHN SHIRLEY LITTLE.

the travelling deckles contemplated are comi posed of rubber or some other pliable and non-foraminous material, the degree of tension re uired to insure a close engagement of the dec les with the immersed portion the cylinder mold surface may be readily secured by operation of the screw 38 on the movable roller housing 34 in the track 37. Rollers 28 and 33 are located above the surface of the pulpous contents of the tank in order to eliminate possibility of clogging.

Employment of the apparatus described permits the use of any desired number of deckles de ending upon the number and width of ri bons of pulp desired, by varying the number of occupied grooves in the idler rollers. Owing to unavoidable variation in quality and operating conditions which result in the deterioration of individual deckles after varying lengths of service, the worn members ma be readily removed and new deckles substituted without`altering the position of the remaining portions of the apparatus. Similarly, when it is desired to clean the surface of the ldrum or any of the deckles or certain other working parts of the apparatus, the apparatus described aords a simple and convenient means for removing the deckles from the drum to permit easy access.

It will be understood that the-embodiment of the invention herein described and illustrated is merelyk'a convenient and useful form i of the invention which is capable of other modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine for making articles of pul- 

